Target



the flight Of a bird.

Patented Oct. 8, 1935 l v UNITED STATES PATENT orrlca Ludovic flinatel fi zfri on, Nice, France Application May 14,1934, Serial N0. 725,661

3 Claims.

This invention relates to an improvement in flying targets or clay pigeons and has for its primary object the provision of an improved target which when thrown more nearly resembles Another object of the invention is to provide a target which may be thrown at a high rate of speed for long distances.

A still further object of theinventionis to pro vide a target so constructed that it can stand the strain of being thrown from the target throwing machine at a greatrate of speed and still be fragile enough to break when hit by the shot.

In building a target of this type the construction of various machines must be taken into consideration and I have provided a target which is adaptable to all types of machines and so built that one or more targets may be telescoped one on top of the other for shipping purposes and for use in automatic machines.

The-ordinary clay pigeon or target in use today is shaped like an inverted cupor saucer and the throwing arm of the trap acts against the curved side of the target. As a result the strain on the target when the trap is sprung isplaced against a relatively weak spot and a great many targets are broken by the force of the throwing arm. This is especially true in the new type of machine described in my application for Letters Patent Serial No. 716,192, filed March 17th,"

The ordinary target in use today is thrown from thirty five to fifty yards and then drops unless it is broken before that time. My improved target, when used with the machine described in the application mentioned above, can travel-up to one hundred and fifty yards and naturally. it travels at a higher rate of speed and more nearly resembles the flight of a live pigeon. When the ordinarysaucer-shaped target is used in a high speed machine, a great percentage of the targets are broken due to the force of the throw and the air pressure. As will be more clearly described hereafter, my improved target provides one strong enough to withstand breakage from the trap and yet fragile enough to be broken by the shot.

With these and other objects'in view, as will appear as the description proceeds, the invention consists in the novel features of construction, combination of elements and arrangement of parts.

In the accompanying drawing Figure 1 is a plan view of the top of a target constructed in accordance with the features of the present invention,

' Figure 2 is a plan view of the bottom of the same target,

Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view taken on the line 33 of Figure 1-,. and

Figure 4 is a plan view of a modified form of the 5 flange IS. The depending wall l3 and the shoulder ll define a recess M for the reception of the 18 throwing arm of the trap. The upper surface of the target is also provided with ribs I5, or, as shown in the modified form, It. These ribs, while strengthening the construction of the target, provide an uneven surface and eliminate the possibility of a shot glancing off the target without brealiing it. The shoulder II also tends to prevent the shot from slipping off the target without breaking it. By theme of the ribs l5 and IS the thickness of the disc portion 12 may be 25 lessened. 1 I

- It will be seen that the action of the throwing arm exerted in the direction of the arrow A will be in the same plane as thesurface of the disc and at a point between the upper and lower surfaces. In this way the strain is directed against the strongest part of the target and not against a hollow wall.

The bottom of the target is hollow and the 35 space surrounded by the annular wall I3 is slightly'larger than that enclosed by the shoulder II. In this way the targets may be packed telescoped one on top of another for shipment and for use in automatic traps.

What is claimed is:

1. A frangible target comprising a disc, a raised portion defining an annular shoulder on said disc, and an annular base abutting the lower periphery of said disc, the upper surface of said base form- 45 ing with the periphery of the disc a recess for the reception of the throwing element of a trap, said recess being in a plane between the upper and lower surfaces of the disc.

2. A target comprising a circular disc, an an- 59 and the top of said base defining a recess for the 4 reception of a. throwing means of a target-throwing trap.

3. In a target comprising a circular disc, ribs on said disc, a raised portion at the edge B! the disc 5 defining a shoulder, and an annular depending base integral with-the periphery of the disc and oflset therefrom, said base defining with the periphery of the disc a recess substantially in the plane of the disc for the reception of the throwing means 01' a trap.

LUDOVIC PIGNA'I'EIM DARAGON. 

